Iowa vs. Wisconsin prediction: Hlastradamus says hello after bye week

Hlastradamus took a bye week last week.

The prophet is no fool, though he may occasionally be a dope, a dolt and a bit of a dunce.

Had he been making picks last week, he’d have had Iowa State covering the 7 points against Oklahoma State, Purdue covering against Wisconsin (ouch!), and perhaps some other fatal decisions. He needed the bye week.

But the seer is rested and ready to resume being his super-sage-y self. His season record against the spread is 21-13, which is really good. Not fabulous, maybe, but who uses “fabulous” in sports talk?

Wisconsin -3 vs. Iowa

The Badgers are second in the nation in fewest yards allowed per game and seem to have found their old familiar mojo when it comes to a running game.

Wisconsin has two running backs who recently have started to run the way Wisconsin running backs are supposed to run, behind Wisconsin blockers who are blocking like Wisconsin blockers are supposed to block.

They say the home field is worth three points. Yet, Wisconsin has lost at home to Penn State and Michigan, and Iowa has won at Iowa State and Maryland.

Hlastradamus is wavering. But he has places to be, so he said he wants to move on to the next pick.

Iowa/Wisconsin UNDER 37 points

The four lowest over/under numbers in college football this season have gone under their number. This number ties for the lowest of any game in the sport this year.

It’s called a trend.

Iowa State -7 at West Virginia

Hlastradamus told you two weeks ago that the Cyclones would cover as a 7-point favorite at Kansas State. They did.

He told you Iowa State was about to go on an extended winning streak. It is.

He’s a seer, you know.

Also, Brock Purdy throws nice passes. Over ISU’s last three games — all Big 12 wins — he has completed 66 of 80 passes for 82.5 percent. Brocktober indeed, and Saturday is part of that month.

Ohio State -18.5 vs. Penn State

Is it fair to say Penn State didn’t really have the No. 4 team in the nation when it played at Iowa three weeks ago?

To see how Illinois ran the ball through the Nittany Lions’ defensive line all day long until the nine overtimes last Saturday was stunning. And Penn State’s offense is out of whack.

Good goobledy-goo, that’s a lot of points to throw. But Ohio State is playing like a team ticked off about the minor hole it dug itself early in the season, and is playing take-no-prisoners football now. This was a bad week for a down-in-the dumps Penn State team to go to Columbus.

Hlastradamus will let you know when it’s a good week to do so.

Michigan (-4) at Michigan State, no prediction

Iowa has a defense. Wisconsin has a defense.

Michigan has a defense. Michigam State has one, too. It must be all the rage.

Hlastradamus’ prediction orb — It’s not a crystal ball, that’s for charlatans — is too cloudy to pick this game.

Rutgers (-1.5) at Illinois (+1.5), no prediction, no thoughts about it at all

The prophet has requested to not have to speak about this game.

He would like to say, however, that he wishes you a happy Halloween, and hopes you won’t interpret his broken porch light as a snub. In unrelated news, he likes to eat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups more than he enjoys giving them away to strangers, unless they’re nice kids.